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BizOnDeck Case Study: Sea Salt Design

February 1, 2018 by Adil Amlani

Vanessa Raven-Vipond (VRV) owns Sea Salt Design here in the Comox Valley. She grew up in Ontario, but several years in the Martimes convinced her that she “had to live by the ocean.” In 2010, after 11 years in Victoria, Vanessa and her family moved to the Comox Valley where she says they are enjoying both the outdoors and a “wonderful, supportive community.”

Sea Salt Design offers custom illustration and graphic design services for web and print. Vanessa is also working on a line of printed products including t-shirts, posters and cards, and gift items. Products and services are available online at seasaltdesign.ca. Vanessa put the business “on deck” in Fall 2017.

LIFT: What inspired you to start Sea Salt Design?
VRV: As a child, I’d always wanted to be a children’s picture book illustrator. As I got older I started exploring graphic design. My first assignment, designing a sign for my parents B&B when I was a teen, led to work with a local sign shop. After high school, I started my own business as a portrait artist. That was my first experience as an entrepreneur. I then went on to study visual communications and illustration. I worked as a freelance for many years while I studied. I worked for a magazine and in-house with printers, but I always wanted to get back to owning my own business again.

LIFT: What was your “ask” at your BizOnDeck workshop?
VRV: I wanted feedback on whether I should continue with web design, which has been my bread and butter, or whether I should drop it altogether and focus more on illustration and print design. I also asked about the best way to go about getting back into T-shirts and gifts, as these are my passion.

LIFT: What were the biggest takeaways from your BizOnDeck?
VRV: I loved the feedback! While all agreed that I should continue to offer web along with print design, they also encouraged me to get out more, to be the face of my company, because I was so much better at selling my services in person.

LIFT: Has putting your business “on deck” helped grow your business?
VRV: Yes. I gained several new clients from my exposure from that one BizOnDeck, and since then I’ve been busy, primarily with illustration work.

Last words
VRV: I am now working on a graphic novel for a writer in Nanaimo, branding a new RMT, and re-branding a local potter. While I had a snag in the release of my online store for T-shirts and gifts, I’m anticipating a launch this year soon.

Please tell LIFT members that Sea Salt Design is offering 25% off all custom illustration and graphic design services, including print design.

FMI about LIFT & BizOnDeck
LIFT helps entrepreneurs, small business owners, and non-profits grow their businesses. To put your business or project “on deck” in the Comox Valley please fill the blanks at http://j.mp/BIZONDECK. Or call HPM at 250-792-1408.

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Filed Under: Case Study, Member Profile Tagged With: #LIFTVIP, #WeAreYQQ, Comox Valley, creatives, profile, talent

PitchFest events: featuring Vancouver Island’s talent economy. Like Ron Pogue.

August 29, 2017 by Adil Amlani


Get your PitchFest2 tickets now!

On September 28 LIFT hosts its second annual #WeAreYQQ PitchFest & Party events. PitchFest2 is a kick off to the Fall LIFT season of entrepreneur events. It’s also the culmination of a year’s worth of entrepreneur “BizOnDeck” workshops. This year PitchFest features seven Vancouver Island entrepreneurs, three judges, a keynote (Spring Activator global startup school’s Keith Ippel), and the signature #WeAreYQQ party format with $1000s in prizes.

At LIFT we’re dedicated to “leading, inspiring, and fuelling talent” in the Comox Valley and on Vancouver Island. When we say “talent,” we’re as interested in artists as we are in foodists as we are in technologists. For example, one of the three winners at our 2016 PitchFest event was a chocolatier. Another was an innovator in children’s clothing and safety gear. Another was a photographer. Ron Pogue won for his pitch about his “alternative wedding photography” service.

What is an “alternative wedding” photographer?

Ron’s vision is singular. Alternative wedding photography, however, isn’t something he invented. Like many innovators, he’s building on what colleagues and peers are doing as they modernize and adapt wedding photography conventions. You can find this large and growing body of work online by search for social media tags like #alternativewedding, #alternativeweddingphotography, and #alternativeweddingphotographer.

“The images my clients cherish most are serendipitous, unexpected, the things they couldn’t have planned for.” Ron’s approach captures the spirit of the event as it unfolds. He references photojournalistic innovator Henri Cartier-Bresson, who was dedicated to capturing “the decisive moment.”

“I treat clients’ weddings as historic, newsworthy events,” he says. “I don’t ask people to pose or smile. m y approach is more documentary, more candid than what most people think of as traditional, what I call ‘fairy tale’ wedding photography.”

Who’s buying? Where’s the market?

Our region has a wealth of talented wedding photographers. They’re meeting the demands of a growing wedding market, and part of an emergent wedding industry. “Alternative wedding photography” is part of the mix.

Ron acknowledges that this style isn’t for everyone. His clients are coming a particular demographic, one that is also growing in our region: younger creatives whose weddings, like their lives, are not necessarily conventional.

“Artists, musicians, people who are looking for something different, these are the people who I’m typically working with,” he says. Couples often tell him, “We’re not having a traditional wedding.” Ron’s response: “That’s fine, I’m not a traditional wedding photographer.”

How to contact Ron Pogue Photography

Email: [email protected]
Website: ronpoguephotography.com
Instagram: instagram.com/ronpoguephoto/
Facebook: facebook.com/RonPoguePhoto

 

LIFT Comox Valley and the #WeAreYQQ talent economy

Our region has been attracting talents like Ron for generations. At LIFT, we believe that people like Ron are our greatest “natural resource” and that talent is the future of our economy. Join us on September 28 for PitchFest2. Learn more about the talents that are shaping the Comox Valley’s economy.

Early bird tickets (and more information about the event) are available at WeAreYQQParty.ca. Come early for a Community Throwback dinner at Prime Chophouse, with a portion of your dinner going to support Startup Comox Valley.

~ hpm
@hanspetermeyer on Twitter



Get your PitchFest2 tickets now!

Filed Under: Event News Tagged With: #WeAreYQQ, creatives, entrepreneurs, innovation

Elevating our local talent economy!

June 4, 2017 by Adil Amlani

On May 31, 2017 LIFT Comox Valley hosted its first Trade Show for local creatives and entrepreneurs. We also hosted our second Community Voices collaboration with CV Collective Magazine, featuring seven local entrepreneurs. Afterwards, we hosted our eighth #WeAreYQQ Party.

At LIFT we’re committed to Leading, Inspiring, and Fuelling Talent – because we think talent is the future of our economy here on Vancouver Island. For more information about how we’re helping creatives and entrepreneurs grow BIGger, please see our website, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Or set up a time/date to meet with me, LIFT founder Hans Peter Meyer (HPM).

For upcoming events, including BizOnDeck workshops, PitchFest2, #WeAreYQQ Parties and more, please see our website.

If you’re ready to give your business a lift, be in touch and we’ll get back to you ASAP! Because our business is helping you grow your business.

hpm
@hanspetermeyer on Twitter and Instagram

Filed Under: Event News Tagged With: #DowntownCourtenay, #WeAreYQQ, Comox Valley, creatives, entrepreneurs, talent, Vancouver Island

May 31: Let’s elevate this economy!

May 25, 2017 by Adil Amlani

The 6th Annual Elevate Arts Festival in downtown Courtenay is the BEST time to visit the Comox Valley.

That’s it. Be here. May 31-June 3. Downtown Courtenay. Where you’ll find more fun and entertainment on the street than you can imagine.

It’s about talent

At LIFT Comox Valley we’re thrilled to be helping kick off this celebration of local talent. We’ve programmed a hat trick of events on the evening of May 31. These include a pop-up trade show, a different kind of talent show, and an after party for creatives, entrepreneurs, and fellow-travellers.
The evening, organised by LIFT Comox Valley, is focused on talent. “I believe that when we grow our local talent, we grow our local economy,” says LIFT VIP and special event sponsor Monica J Parkin, of Invis Mortgages.

The evening

Things start happening at 5pm at the Courtenay Legion with first ever LIFT Trade Show. This pop-up reveals what a number of LIFT VIP businesses are doing. Among them:
  • Bluebird Pads,
  • Re Bastien Portrait Photography,
  • Jace Pierson – Sun Life Financial advisor,
  • Wags Doggy Bags,
  • Heart Drum Beat – Brain & Body Training Systems,
  • Panther Workwear,
  • The Old House Hotel & Spa, and
  • Speedibin composter.
  • Futurpreneur Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia) will also be on hand, looking forward to meeting young entrepreneurial talent.
At 6:30pm Community Voices II challenges seven creative entrepreneurs to tell their story of “living local, thinking BIGger” with only seven minutes and seven slides. This is the second time LIFT is collaborating with The CV Collective and builds on CVC member Ian Adams‘ previous series’ of evenings featuring local talent.
The final event, the 8th #WeAreYQQ Party, takes place at Gladstone Brewing at 8pm. Music by DJ Adil, fun and games by “#WeAreYQQPartyCrew Boss” Leanne Zdebiak-Eni.
The presenters at Community Voices II represent a wide range of talents or examples of the Comox Valley’s “knowledge economy.” They include:
  • Wendy Nixon Stothert of Choral Valley,
  • Tom Keenoy of Kitestrings/ Medium Rare Interactive,
  • community animateur Meaghan Cursons,
  • craftsman Cyrill Werlen of Cascadian Wood Tech,
  • Step Carruthers of, among other things, Phat Tank and Lucky Village Enterprises ,
  • Alex Bowman & Kate Waddel of Byte Me Robotics,
  • and recent Dragons’ Den pitcher, James Flawith of Lil Worker Safety Gear .

The lineup is guaranteed to elevate your understanding of the creatives growing a grassroots “talent economy” in the Comox Valley.

For example, Tom Keenoy, a transplant to the Comox Valley by way of Brooklyn, New York, runs Medium Rare Interactive in Courtenay. He’s also currently building Kitestrings, a solution to internet security that could put our local tech scene on the global map. You can follow Kitestrings on Twitter @kitestringsapp.

Tickets

Tickets are by “suggested donation” online and at the door. Net proceeds from the event support the volunteer community economic development organisation that annually creates the Elevate Arts celebration of local talent.

Buy Now
For more information about May 31st events see WeAreYQQParty.ca, or contact me:
Hans Peter Meyer
Founder, LIFT Comox Valley
250-792-1408 
@hanspetermeyer on Twitter and Instagram

Filed Under: Event News Tagged With: #DowntownCourtenay, #WeAreYQQ, Comox Valley, creatives, economy, entrepreneurs, talent

Innovators: Ron Pogue’s “Alternative Wedding Photography”

March 1, 2017 by Adil Amlani

His talents earned him one of only three prizes awarded at #WeAreYQQ PitchFest 2016. His images are iconic. His eye, cultured and discriminating. And in 2017 Ron Pogue is turning his attention to growing his #alternativeweddingphotography services.

I interviewed Ron in August 2016 about his approach to growing his creative business. We talked about his aspirations, projects he’d like to pursue, and #alternativewedding services.

What is an #alternativewedding photographer?

Ron’s vision is singular. #Alternativeweddingphotography, however, isn’t something he invented. Like many innovators, he’s building on what colleagues and peers are doing as they modernize and adapt wedding photography conventions. You can find this large and growing body of work online by search for social media tags like #alternativewedding, #alternativeweddingphotography, and #alternativeweddingphotographer.

Ron approach captures the spirit of the event as it unfolds. It’s what photojournalistic innovator Henri Cartier-Bresson called “the decisive moment. “The images my clients cherish most are serendipitous, unexpected, the things they couldn’t have planned for.”

“I treat clients’ weddings as historic, newsworthy events,” he says. “I don’t ask people to pose or smile. m y approach is more documentary, more candid than what most people think of as traditional, what I call ‘fairy tale’ wedding photography.”

Who’s buying? Where’s the market?

Our region has a wealth of talented wedding photographers. They’re meeting the demands of a growing wedding market, and part of an emergent wedding industry. #AlternativeWedding photography is part of the mix. Ron acknowledges that this style isn’t for everyone. His clients are coming a particular demographic, one that is also growing in our region: younger creatives whose weddings, like their lives, are not necessarily conventional.

“Artists, musicians, people who are looking for something different, these are the people who I’m typically working with,” he says. Couples often tell him, “We’re not having a traditional wedding.” Ron’s response: “That’s fine, I’m not a traditional wedding photographer.”

How to contact Ron

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Instagram: www.instagram.com/ronpoguephoto/
  • Facebook: www.facebook.com/RonPoguePhoto/
  • Website: ronpoguephotography.com
  • Text:  250-702-3001 

LIFT Comox Valley and the #WeAreYQQ talent economy

This is part of a series of articles about the creatives and entrepreneurs who are growing a “talent economy” in the greater Comox Valley region. At LIFT, we help promote this talent economy by hosting workshops and events, writing stories, interviewing, and doing what we can to help startups grow their businesses bigger. We also routinely amplify social media posts using tags like #WeAreYQQ (Comox Valley) and #WeAreYBL (Campbell River). Use them. Watch your traffic grow.

by hanspetermeyer
@hanspetermeyer on Twitter and Instagram.

Filed Under: Member Profile Tagged With: #WeAreYQQ, Comox Valley, creatives, entrepreneurs, profile, talent

Innovators: Sonya Marie Jenssen and the Comox Valley Water System Calendar Project

October 11, 2016 by Adil Amlani

It’s October. It’s raining, it’s pouring. The weather, it’s boring.

But for Sonya Jenssen of Waterwoman Consulting, when it’s raining in the Comox Valley she’s excited. All that rain, it’s helping us meet our water security needs.

Sonya’s an international water expert. Like many other talented people who’ve chosen to call this place home, she came for quality of community and quality of life, not because of a job. Our emerging water security issues, however, are inspiring the entrepreneur in Sonya.

The pain point: water you can’t drink

Entrepreneurs see pain points as opportunities to apply creative thinking. Water quality issues in the Comox Valley are a big pain point, not just an inconvenience.

“This is an important issue for our community,” she says. Our biggest source of clean, fresh water is Comox Lake. All of that water is monitored and licensed by the Ministry of Environment. We can’t just drain the lake to quench our domestic thirst, because most of the water flowing out of the lake is required to keep rivers and streams functioning as fish habitat. Of the remaining of water flowing down the Puntledge River for domestic uses, fire fighting, washing of cars, sprinkling of lawns, garden irrigation all vie with our needs for potable water.

When a boil water advisory comes into effect, it’s more than a nuisance. Tourism and lifestyle are a significant part of our local economy. A boil water advisory puts additional strain on a food and entertainment sector already working with thin margins.

So it’s a case of “water water everywhere,” but less and less to drink. And while it’s good that October rains are recharging our lakes and streams, water security is “more complicated than most people understand.”

The Comox Valley Water System Calendar

Sonya’s expertise is in public education. Her work has taken her around the world – the Middle East, Norway, and beyond – but her heart is in the Comox Valley. She knows that when people don’t understand an issue as complex as water security, and especially when we seem to be inundated with water water everywhere, we’re less likely to be part of the solution.This fall she’s chosen our community to be the pilot in an innovation in water security education.

Working with with local street photographer Craig Carson, Sonya is producing a calendar combining technical information with a street photographer’s view of the Comox Lake water system. “We need to bring a creative lens to these issues,” she says. She’ll also be working with LIFT Comox Valley (recent winner, Best Social Media Organization in the Comox Valley) to roll out a companion education stream via social media.

The Comox Valley benefits from the project, not only because she’s using us as a pilot, but because Sonya also believes that packaging public education in an “street art” calendar is a tool other communities will benefit from. That’ll bring more attention to the Comox Valley as a home of innovators and entrepreneurs.

Invitation to feature your business as part of the solution

Our community faces some big decisions as we deal with our water security issues. Sonya believes public education, like the calendar project, will help us as move towards a more “water secure” future. She’s financing her project with pre-sales via an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign that will launch later this fall.

Sonya is also inviting other businesses to be part of the solution to our water security issues, by having their businesses prominently featured as “sponsor of the month.” Sure Copy Courtenay, the Comox Valley Record, 2nd Page Books, and LIFT Comox Valley are already on board.

To put your business on board for a water secure future in the Comox Valley, contact Sonya directly at [email protected] / waterwoman.ca.

hpm
for LIFT Comox Valley
@hanspetermeyer on Twitter

 

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Filed Under: News Tagged With: #WeAreYQQ, Comox Valley, creatives, entrepreneurs, innovation, knowledge sector, talent

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